Yadagiri, Jan 11: A woman lost her life and eight others fell seriously ill after someone poured insecticide into a well used for supplying water to Teggalli villagle in Surpur taluk in the district. The incident has brought back memories of the tragic mixing of poison to Prasadam at a temple at Sulvady in Chamarananagar district that had claimed 15 lives recently.

Honnnamma Mallappa Poojary (68) lost her life. A number of people who consumed water supplied from the said well suffered from vomitting and dysentery. Immediately all of them were admitted into the community health centre at Kembhavi. Honnamma, whose condition worsened, was rushed to Kalaburagi district hospital late night, but without responding to treatments, she died.

It is said that after sensing that the water she drank had some odd smell, Honnamma immediately alerted other people from the village. Thereafter she fell ill. The villagers immediately arranged to spread this warning through a drummer who went through lanes of the villages, alerting villagers not to consume water from the well. The well in question supplies water to 4,000 people from Teggalli and Shakhapura villages.

Chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, said that the district superintendent of police (SP) has been instructed to conduct immediate investigation into the episode. He said that the deputy commissioner has been asked to visit the spot along with the SP and send a report thereof.

Medical officials said that poisonous substances were found in the bodies of eight villagers who had consumed well water. They said that all of these persons are being treated and they are out of danger. Some were shifted to Shahapur taluk hosplital in view of their condition, while 21 others who had consumed well water were treated locally.

SP, Lada Martin Marbaniang, and DC, M Koorma Rao, visited the village. District in-charge minister, Rajashekhar Patil said that the family of the deceased will get suitable compensation from the government. The officials stated that currently water is being supplied to the two affected villages through tankers.